Büyük İmaret Mosque (Hatuniye / Ayşe - Gülbahar Hatun Mosque-Center):The mosque was constructed in
the name of the mother of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Ayşe - Gülbahar Hatun in 1514 inside a Külliye complex near Zagnos Bridge. This
mosque holds a special place among the other Turkish Creations in Trabzon. The mosque enters into the group of “mosques with
lodges of dervishes” that form a separate plan type in the early
period Ottoman Architecture. The “courtyard” which is almost
always encountered in the mosques with lodges of dervishes is
not present in this mosque. The stonemasonry of the walls are
important. The minaret located at the west side is in the
classical Ottoman minaret style.
Fatih
Mosque (Ortahisar Mosque - Panaghia Chrysocephalos
Church-Center):The structure is known as the major church of
Trabzon and is located in the Ortahisar quarter. It is assumed
that the church was constructed over the ruins of an ancient
Roman temple by Hanmibalianos, the nephew of Roman Emperor
Constantin (A.D. 325 - 364).
The church is known as "the Cathedral of the Comnens " and as a
depiction to the Mother Mary, it was named as the "Goldenhead".
The reason for naming the church with the name “Goldenhead” is
that in painting of the Mother Mary which is located on the
apsis shaped semi-circle, the moiré of Mother Mary is coated
with gold. After the conquest of Trabzon by Turkish forces in
1461 the structure was transformed into a mosque. Some of the
researchers compare the church with the Hagia Sophia in
Istanbul…
Çarşı Mosque (Center):This mosque is located in the
Kemeraltı Çarşı quarter and is the biggest mosque of Trabzon
province. The mosque was constructed by one of the governors of
Trabzon Hazinedarzade Osman Pasha in 1839. The marvelous
stonemasonry of the structure is attractive.
İskender Pasha Mosque (Center):The
mosque is located behind the Trabzon Town Hall in the Taksim
Square. The structure is known to be constructed in 16th century
by the Governor of Trabzon İskender Pasha. Various attachments
had been constructed to the mosque in various times and has a
beautiful stonemasonry.
Ayasofya Church (Haghia Sophia Church-Center):The church
is located inside a monastery complex which is two kilometers
from west of Trabzon province. It is assumed to be constructed
by the King of Commenos State I. Manuel between the dates in
1238 - 1263. The four pillared and three abscissa chapel located
to the north is dated earlier than the structure.
The Hagia Sophia of the Trabzon is the most important structure
of late Byzantine Period of the region. The structure was
transformed into a mosque in the period of III. Murat in 1670 by
Beylerbeyi Ali Bey. The structure was restored between the dates
of 1958 - 1962 by the cooperation of Edinburg University and
Charitable Foundations General Directorate and entered into
service as a museum in 1964. The structure has a beautiful
stonemasonry. It is also very rich in stone decorations and
frescos.
The church has depictions as; the banishment of Adam and Eve
from heaven, Mother Mary sitting on the throne, The ascend of
Jesus to the sky, the birth of St. Jesus, the miracles of St.
Jesus,The last supper of St. Jesus, the descend of St. Jesus to
hell, the baptism, the symbols of Bible writers. The church also
contains decorations like single headed eagle, unnatural
creatures, geometric plant like decorations and bird figures.
Especially the multi colored niches, pillar titles at the
western side and the geometric
patterned medallions at the northern sşide are the samples of
Seljukian stone decoration art.
St. Anna Church (Küçük Ayrasıl Church-Center):The church
is located on the Maraş Street of Trabzon Province and is one of
the oldest churches of the province. It is actually a triple nef
basilica. There is a Byzantine emboss and a repair inscription
belonging to the I. Basil between the dates in 884 - 885 on the
entrance gate.
Sumela Monastery (Mother Mary Monastery, Maçka):The
monastery is located 17 km. from south of Maçka district on a
steep side of the Mother Mary Valley, 250 meters above the
valley bottom inside a cave. The monastery could only be reached
after a hard and long climbing but the wonderful landscape and
spectacle of the monastery worth all efforts for climbing. There
are numerous rumors relevant with the initial foundation of the
monastery. The most common among these rumors is that the
foundation of the monastery was laid by the monk Barnabas from
Athens and his nephew Sophrenios.
The Sumela Monastery had been identified with a Portrait of
Mother Mary which was painted by St. Luke since the first
foundation period and which is rumored to be create miracles.
According to the rumors, Barnabas and his nephew comes to
Trabzon having the Portrait of Mother Mary and the childhood of
Jesus, which is said to be painted by St. Luke. Here they gather
volunteer laborers whom would assist them in the construction of
the monastery and then reach to Değirmendere (Altındere in
Pyxites region) of Maçka district.
The monks climb the steepest slope of the Kora mountain and
reach to a cave in which water is dripping. The monastery is
then founded in this cave as two chambers (A.D. 385). This two
chamber monastery founded by the two monks had been accepted as
a sacred and holy temple by the Christians both from the
Catholic and Orthodox sects after the death of the two monks
(around year in 412). After the separation of Istanbul from
Western Roman Empire, the Byzantibe Emperor Justinien (527 -
568) orders fortification of the Trabzon province and expanding
of the monastery. Later he offers a rich libraryas a gift to the
monastery.
As Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Trabzon
Province in 26 October 1461, similar to his behaviours in
Istanbul, he protects most of the churches in Trabzon and
meanwhile the Sumela Monastery like the Hagia Sophia Church and
even grant land and donate gold to the monastery.
During
the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, the Sultan becomes ill while he
was hunting and was taken and treated by the monks of Mother
Mary Monastery. Whenhe returns to Istanbul and get crowned, he
do not forgets the monastery and the monks that have treated and
curesd him and grants land, donates gold and four golden
candlesticks each having a length of one and a half meters.
III. Sultan Ahmet, had covered all of the expanses of
restoration of inner walls and renewal of the frescos of the
monastery in 1710. I. Sultan Mahmut had ordered the renewal of
the frescos in the other sections of the monastery and covered
all of the expanses in 1740. In the 19th century, the number of
the monks and the priests had reached a hundred and the land
property owned by the monastery had been expanded by the final
donation of Sultan Abdülhamid and reached to contain 15 villages
around the monastery.
The importance of the Mother Mary Monastery, which is the oldest
Christian Temple in the Black Sea Region is that the unnatural
structure of the monastery located in the wonderful beauties of
the surrounding fauna and flora and the wall and ceiling
decorations and adornments constructed in various periods. At
the praying and worshipping place in the first section, there is
the sacred fountain in which the water drips in as triple drops
and 3 - 4 chapels. The interior and exterior sections of the
Temple is decorated with frescos with themes taken from the
bible. The second chamber is composed of four floors and as one
descends from the stairs there are resting rooms, halls,
libraries, provision storage rooms and toilets to the right. The
rooms which lie şin ruins is understood to be 72 rooms from the
records. Reaching tothis section of the monastery is possible
via a stairway with 96 stairs. Remony is made each year in 14th
of August.
Santa Maria Church (Center):The church
was constructed by the order of Sultan Abdülmecid in 1869 - 1874
in order to be used by the foreigners who visit Trabzon and is
still active. Rich decorations and the depictions of St. Andrew,
St. Peter and St. Eugenius located on the northern and western
walls are attractive.
Vazelon
Monastery (Maçka):The monastery is located 14 kilometre away
from Maçka district, between the pine tree forest. The exact
foundation date of the monastery in uncertain but some
researchers claim that the foundation of the monastery could be
between A.D. 270 - 317 years. The monastery had been restored by
emperor Justinianus in 565 and undergo numerous repairs and
restoration processes until the present day.
The Vazelon Monastery had influenced the religious, cultural and
economic structure of Maçka district after 13th century. It is
said that the Sumela Monastery was constructed by the incomes of
Vazelon Monastery, which was the wealthiest monastery of the
region. The frescos depicting the heaven, the hell and the final
judgement located at the northern exterior wall of the triple
nef church still preserves their beauty and vigor.